Quick report
- Red Flags
- Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Fairly widespread cracking and collapsing today with shooting cracks and booming whoomps from a snow pack that is still quite unstable.</p>
Our ace groomer Mark Brown was out yesterday getting the trails in shape for the winter and observed first hand the touchy snow conditions as he made his way up the highway. Many road cuts and slopes below the highway would crack and spider web from the weight of the snow cat. Great red flag information that the current snow pack is weak and unstable and capable of producing avalanches.
The new Steiner weather station is looking good and strong with about 80cm (32") on the ground. The conditions have been improving slowly and some riders are starting to venture out off the groomed trails a little more.
The High Uintas ae looking a little more white with each storm.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The current snow pack is still quite unstable and the weak snow structure continues to produce cracking and collapsing and booming whoomps.</p> <p>The slight northwest breeze today was not adding to the hazard, but there could be some lingering wind drifts that are still sensitive to a persons weight. I did not test too many wind drifted areas and kept my slope angles very low. </p>
Nice to see a decent shot of snow from the recent storm with around 5" at the trail head and about 10-12" for the higher elevations near Steiner and Lofty Peak areas. Generally nice powder snow conditions and the riding and turning is slowly getting better, but I'm still hesitant to get too comfortable off the groomed trail.